Latch-release mechanism



H. L. BACH LATCH RELEASE KECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheetv Filed Feb. 26, 1923 WITNESS E S oct. 4,1921. H BEACH 1,643,974

A LATC RELEASE MECHANI-SM Filed Feb. 26, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I :g 1 N (ill g N 1 m o I @nu i 1 'I n l l l l 1 N. I if 1 2 1 z LL I I l @n l) Il f 0 N H! q) l N Il N l t l I l z I) f il@ u@ "iq v /fvvs'vvroi' l /3 v 41m, Q

Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

UNITED STAT HOWARD L. 12s-Aon, or PITTSBURGH, rEnNsYLvAN-ra, assrenos ro @nenn can 'cor/r.-

PANY, OF PITTSBURGH, ENNSYLVANIA, A

LATCH-RELEASE MECINlSMQ .Application elec .February se, ieee.. sensi no. 621,158.

This invention relates to ,tilting sicle dump cars and more particularly to improvements in the device tor locking the latch nicchanism.

An .object of this invention is to simplify the locking and .operation of .the device- A further .object ot the invention is to provide means in a mechanism of the character described Jfor definitely showing the position of the latch control mechanism :rom and on both sides of the ,ca -r.

A still further Objel ,O this invention is to provide means for adjustment to ,come pensate forvariations in .the inanntactnre ot the component parts of 'the device and wear of the movable parts inservice.

These, as well as other objects which will readily appear to those skilled in this particular art, I attain by means of the construction described in the specification and illustrated in the, drawings accompanying and forming part of this application,

In the drawings, Figurel is a View par.- tially in elevation and partially in section of mechanism embodying this invention.

`In this view, which is a view looking toward one end of the latch and latch release mechanisms., the latch mechanism is ,shown lntchecl, While .the latch release mechanism .isj

shown in such position that when air is plied to the latch release cylinder the latch mechanism on the left side of the view will be unlatched in order yto allow the vbody of the car to be tilted downwardly 'toward the right hand side `of the view. Fig. 2 is a detail view in elevation looking toward the device of Fig. 1 from the ylett hand side and Fig.- 3 is a detail view of .a portion .of .the device,

The mechanism is mounted onthe car nn derframe by being riveted or otherwise jsecured to the center sill channels 4 and 5 .and

cover plate 6.

It will be understood that a .tilting body of suitable ty e is mounted on the Yunder-` frame and that the sides of the body corn prise doors which, by vIneens of toggle mechanisni including vtoggle links 7 and .8 4are normally held in .closed position. The toggle mechanisms are pivotally connected to the nnderframe at points 9 and 10 by links l1 .and l2., in a manner similar to that construction shown in Fig. 2 of Patent No, 1f 333,293, of .Merch 9., ,1.920.

The construction is sneh that the toggle mechanisms are normally locked-vsoy as 'tol hold the body in upright positionand are"A only unlocked when itis desired to tilt the bodytoward one or the other sideto dump the load,

The locking or latching mechanism includes latches 13 and 1.4: 'iixedly mountedon" srluared portions of longitudinally extending shafts 1 5 and 16 respectively and are adapted to be alternately rotated to engageV or disengage pins 17 and 18 which respectively pivotallyl connect links 7 and 11 and' linlrs 8 and 1 2, AShafts 15 and 16 are journaled for rotation in the opposite outer ends of a bracket 19 which is riscllv secnrecl'to the under-freine- -The engagement therefor of letcheel orlt 'With pins 17' snel 18 se cnrelv loclrs the doors in closet.l Position nnfl the body therefor in u right position.

Depending levers .2O Vand .2l are respectively rigidly .secured to shafts 15 enel 16,- A latch .release cylinder at oneend is pivotally connected by rmeans. of pin 23 to ,the lower enel or lever 20 while rod 24e attached to a piston not shown, but movable within cylinder 22 s' pvotallv connected, to the lower end ot lever 2 1 lov Ineens of e pivot 133125. i Two coil springs/26 klocated 'o n opposite sides of cylinder at one end 'are connected hr means of e pin Wto lever 2l and et the otherend, by Imeans of spring adjusting links 28, are connected to a pin29 carried by' lever ,2.0. 'The .springs .tend to :yieldingl/ hold the latches 13 land 1e in the position shown Fig. lg that is, in engegenientfvvith pins 17 and .18. Bv admission ot to cylrincler .212, levers, 20fencl 2l will 'be forced apa-rt andbothlfatohes 13 and 1 4 unhooled from pins 1 7 and 1 8 respectively. The mechanism thus far disclosed corresponds substantially to the mechanism disclosed in Patent Negininvoi of May 3o, iosa 1A. locking hreclret 30 is rigidly connected. to and depends from the .underfranie Vithf in this brochet., a v.locking rofl is ionrnelecl.- This rofl comprises entlportons v3l and having handle portions 33 and 34 respectively, Rod port-,ions 31 and 32 at their inner ends are .threaded 4into .e tubular sleeve 35 .and therein cottered so .es to permanently and rigidly hold them ,in .proper internal adjusted relation. Y l

The ends` of this tube ,ahnt against .depend ing portions of .locking .bracket .30 and .endf

Los

wise movement of the assembled locking rod is thereby prevented.

End 31 is provided with a lug or locking boss 36 while end 32 is provided with a like boss 37. Each of these bosses is more or less fan-shaped as shown in Fig. 3. Lever 20 is provided with an abutment or stop 38 while lever 21 is provided with a similar abutment or stop 39. When handle 34 of the locking rod is turned down as shown in Fig. 1, locking boss 37 lies in the path of movement of stop 39 of lever 21, while boss 36 of'lever 31 is turned out of the path of movement of stop 38 of lever 20. This prevents lever 21 from being swung and therefore sh'aft16 from being rotated. With the mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 1, when air is applied to cylinder 22, the cylinder will move away from pin 25 carried at the lower end of lever 21 and will swing lever 20 so as to rotate shaft 15 and unlock latch 13 from pin 17. When handle 34 is turned up to vertical position, handle 33 will move down, lock boss 36 will move down into the path of stop 38 and lug 37 will move up and out of the path of stop 39. When air is admitted to cylinder 22, lever 21 will move, actuated by means of thepiston within said cylinder and shaft 16 will be rotated so as to unlock latch 14 from pin 18.

The fan shape construction of lugs 36 and 37 provides means whereby during the movement of the locking rod and therefore handles 33 and 34, lug 36 will move into the path of movement of stop 38 before lug 37 has passed. out of the path of movement of stop 39. In other words, the construction of these lugs is such that a decided lap between them is provided which prevents any unstable and unsafe position of the latch mechanism whereby both latches might become unlatched atthe same time.

A. fin 4() projecting downwardly from locking bracket 30 serves as a stop for limiting this rotation of the locking rod. The central or "sleeve portion 35 of the locking rod carries la weight 41 and a stop member 42. When handle 34 is turned down to the position shown in Fig. 1, weight 41 holds stop member 42 in contact with the back of fm 40 (as shown in Fig. 1) and maintains lug 37 in the path of movement of stop 39. When, however, handle 33 is turned downwardly, weight 41 will hold the other end of stop 42 (the end shown at the bottom Vin Fig. 3) in contact with the front face of tin 40 thereby maintaining lock 36 in the path of movement of stop 38.

VAs the distance between the stops 38 and 39 may vary in dierent cars, the ends 31 and 32 of the locking rod assembly are made adjustable so as to be moved in or out of sleeve 35 to take care of this. After securare locked in adjusted position' by means of cotter pins 43 which extend through the shaft ends and through holes formed for that purpose in the sleeve 35.

It will be noticed thatthe force of'cylinder 22 tending to swing levers 20 and 21 outwardly is resisted by lugs 36 and 37 in such a position on rods 31 and 32 as tend to bend these rods in an upward direction. Bearing 44 on lever 2O and bearing 45 on lever 21 are provided to resist this bending tendency and to maintain rod ends 31 and 32'in correct alignment at all times.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is: f

1. In a tilting side dump car, two normally latched mechanisms, common means for actuating both of said mechanisms and a device rotatable between two extreme positions and provided with overlapping locking elements whereby only one of said latch locking i mechanisms may be released at a time.

2. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, common means for actuating both latch mechanisms and a manually operable locking device provided with overlapping, locking elements'whereby only one of said latch mechanisms maybe 'released at a time. i i

3. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, a horizontal manually operable rod provided with overlapping locking elements for selectively releasing one or the other of said latch mechanisms.

4. In a tilting side' dump car, two latcl mechanisms, common means for actuating said mechanisms, `aY manually operable lock-v ing rod providedv with overlapping, locking elements for selectively releasing said latch mechanisms and means for adjusting the distance between said overlapping, locking elements.

5. In a tilting side dump car, the combination with two oppositely operating latch mechanisms and a common air motor for actuating the same, of a manually operable locking device provided with overlapping, locking elements for selectively locking and releasing said latch mechanism and means for visibly indicating the position of said locking device.

` 6. In a tilting` side dump car, two latch mechanisms, means for operating said latch mechanisms and locking means' movable between two positions and adapted to release one latch mechanism when in one position and to releasey the other latch mechanism when in the other position, said loclin'g means being adapted to lock both latch mechanisms when in an intermediate position.

7. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, means for operating said latch mechanisms, locking meansmovable between two positions and adaptedto releaseone latch mechanism when '1n .oneposition and lil to release the other latch mechanism when in the other position, said locking means being adapted to lock both latch mechanisms against operation when in an intermediate position and means for indicating the position ot' said locking means from both sides of said car.

8. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, an operating lever connected to each latch mechanism, means for operating said levers, a rod extending through and beyond said levers and means on said rod for locking said levers so as to permit the operation ot only one of said levers at a time.

9. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, means for operating said latch mechanisms, a rotatable latch control device operable from either side of said car and provided with overlapping latch locking elements adapted to permit the operation of only one ot' said latch mechanisms at a time.

10. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, an operating lever secured to each latch mechanism, means for operating said levers, a locking device extending through and beyond said levers and means on said levers for preventing the distortion ot said locking device.

11. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, an operating lever secured to each latch mechanism, means for operating said levers, a rotatable locking rod extending through and beyond said leversV and means on said levers'for preventing disto-rtion of said locking rod.

12. In a tilting side dump car, two latch mechanisms, an operating lever connected t0 each latch mechanism,means for operating said levers, a manually operable rod extending through and beyond said levers, lugs on said rod cooperating with said levers so as to permit the operation of only one of said levers at a time and means for adjusting the distance between said lugs.

13. In a tilting side dump car, two oppositely swinging latch devices each having a depending lever movable therewith, a motor iter swinging said devices, a rotatable latch controlling device extending through and beyond said levers and means on said levers 'for preventing distortion of said latch controlling device during the operation of said motor.

14. In a tilting side dum car, two oppositely operating latch mec ianisms, an air motor constructed and arranged so as to be capable of actuating both of said latch mechanisms, a manually rotatable device operable trom either side of the car and provided with overlapping locking elements for selectively locking one or the other of said mechanisms against operation and preventing unlatching of either until one is locked against unlatching and means on said rotatable device Jior visibly indicating the condition of the latch mechanisms.

15. In a tilting side dump car, pivotally mounted latch mechanisms on opposite sides oi the car and each having a depending lever associated and movable therewith, an air operated motor suspended by said levers for exerting an unlatching movement to said mechanisms, springs resisting the operation ot' said motor, a single rotatable rod extending through and beyond said levers and provided with overlapping stops tor preventing unlatching oi' either latch mechanism until one is locked against unlatching and oppositely ldirected handles for manually operating said rod and for indicating the condition of said latch mechanisms.

16. In a tilting side dump car, two normally latched mechanisms, means for unlatching the same and a manually operated locking device operable from either side ot the car and provided with overlapping locking elements preventing the unlatching of either latch mechanism until one latch mechanism is locked.

17. In a tilting side dump car, two normally latched mechanisms, means for unlatching the same, a manually operated locking device operable from either side of the car provided with overlapping locking elements and provided with means for adjusting the distance between said locking elements.

18. In a tilting side dump car, two oppositely swinging latch devices each having al depending lever movable therewith, a motor for swinging said devices, a rotatable locking device extending through and beyond said levers and means on said levers for preventing distortion ot said latch locking device during the operation of said motor.

19. In a tilting side dump car, pivotally mounted latch mechanisms on opposite sides ot' the car each having a depending lever associated and movable therewith, an air operated motor suspended by said levers for exerting an unlatching movement to said mechanisms, springs resisting ythe operation of said motor, a single rotatable rod extending through and beyond said levers and provided with overlapping stops for preventing unlatching of either latch mechanism until one is locked and oppositely directed handles for manually operating and for definitely showing the position ot said single rotatable rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 1st day of February, 1923.

HOWARD L. BEACH.

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